(1) Field of the Invention
The field of art to which the invention pertains includes the field of catering truck refrigeration systems, particularly with respect to a refrigeration system utilizing a minimum of electrical power.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional catering trucks provide a mobile field food system in places where no fixed facilities exist. Typically, such trucks have been found extremely useful in the construction industry where the construction employees must be fed and no conventional eating facility exists. The catering trucks also have been found to be useful where large numbers of people must be fed such as at conventions and parades or the like. The popularity of the catering truck has derived from the fact that the truck can provide hot as well as cold food and thus meeting the needs of a wide range of people. Health care standards have been set up to be certain that the refrigerated foods are kept at a certain minimum temperature slightly above freezing to prevent spoilage.
Conventional catering truck refrigeration facilities are normally provided by utilizing a compresser which operates off the catering truck motor. These compressers require that the catering truck motor be operational when the compresser is operating and such a system utilizes large amounts of power. In addition, it has been found that the compresser, which is the heart of the refrigeration system, constantly breaks down and must be repaired or continuously replaced. These compressers are relatively expensive and thus have increased the costs of food supplied by a catering truck. In addition, once the compresser fails, the food in the catering truck spoils if not refrigerated after a short period of time.
The present invention provides a relatively foolproof refrigeration system which eliminates the need for catering truck compressers and does not require that the catering truck motor be operational. A minimum amount of power is consumed when the refrigeration system is in operation. In addition, the entire system is relatively inexpensive and can be easily installed in conventional catering trucks.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 189,958; 2,988,901; 1,805,809; U.S. Pat. No. Re. 21,849; U.S. Pat. No. 171,591; 190,416; 718,606; 1,952,981; and 1,909,261.